The Verge reports:
For nearly a decade, Turning Point USA has served as a new kind of College Republican club, setting up a network of campus organizations through its chapter program.
But in recent years, the organization has moved beyond on-campus organizing to something more ambitious, launching podcasts and online shows with an eye towards fostering young Republican influencers online.
Increasingly, those influencers are Turning Point’s focus — finding ways to promote them, popularize them, and integrate them into the broader world of conservative media and politics. Instead of the campus, Turning Point is now focused on the politics of Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube and using them to reach a new generation of voters.
Read the full article.
NEW: I went to Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest conference last month to report on how the organization is quietly building the next generation of conservative influencers. https://t.co/RJGSNIG0q8
— Makena Kelly (@kellymakena) January 5, 2022
Younger generations are quickly growing into the largest voter bracket in America, and TPUSA’s influencer program is tasked with saturating the social media ecosystem with pro-conservative content.https://t.co/RJGSNIG0q8
— Makena Kelly (@kellymakena) January 5, 2022
While Donald Trump Jr. and Tucker Carlson gave riling speeches, these influencers walked the convention hall, making content in front of the dozens of ring light setups placed throughout the event. https://t.co/RJGSNIG0q8 pic.twitter.com/PoWWtLA3nd
— Makena Kelly (@kellymakena) January 5, 2022
According to a previously public Quizlet flashcard set, Turning Point USA has onboarded over 400 brand “ambassadors,” influencers for the conservative movement. The branch that oversees the initiative has an operating budget of ~$7.2 million.https://t.co/RJGSNIG0q8
— Makena Kelly (@kellymakena) January 5, 2022